On November 3, Justice Samuel Alito refused a request by Pennsylvania state officials to delay a trial in League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania v Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. That case, filed in Commonwealth Court, seeks a ruling that Pennsylvania’s U.S. House district boundaries are an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander.

Shortly after the Second World War, a Republican legislator sought to temper criticism of a Democratic president. Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Arthur Vandenberg declared that we should stop “partisan politics at the water’s edge.”

Today, partisan warfare knows no bounds. Democrats and Republicans routinely rationalize placing their own interests ahead of the national interest. Their mutual, unceasing attempts to subvert the other party’s political fortunes are now subverting a comprehensive review of Russian influence in American politics.

Broadcom Ltd. is planning an unsolicited takeover approach to rival chip maker Qualcomm Inc., according to sources connected to the deal.

If the deal is completed it would create the largest technology acquisition ever.

The news, reported by Bloomberg, would value Qualcomm shares at around $70. Investors immediately responded by sending Qualcomm stock up nearly 14 percent.

It's been a rough quarter for Tesla. The carmaker announced this week a quarterly loss of $671 million and now, quietly, experts are growing concerned with the direction and future viability of the company.

Last August Tesla began production of its Model 3. The first mass-marketed sedan for the company was touted as a "game changer." At the time, CEO Elon Musk said there should be “zero concern” about Tesla's ability to increase production to 10,000 cars per week at some point in 2018.

That pipe dream is over.

America’s “two-party” version of democracy is unsustainable. The good and bad news is that local and state politics is more important than ever.

If there is to emerge some third way to take advantage of the vast pool of frustrated and virtually disenfranchised independent American voters, it will likely begin in a state election.

The experiment to save American democracy is happening, right now. And if you’re an American desperate to see a solution to the corrupt status quo, you should be paying attention.

California Secretary of State Alex Padilla sent out a press release Wednesday announcing that a new initiative has been approved for petition gathering, one that would decriminalize the use, possession, sale, transport, and cultivation of psilocybin.

What is psilocybin? It's the psychedelic compound found in various species of mushrooms.

When motorists across California go to the pump this week, they will no doubt raise their eyebrows.

The price of gas just spiked for California drivers.

Never a group to shy away from raising taxes, the Sacramento legislature earlier this year, voted to tax a gallon of gas an additional 12 cents.

That vote has caused a war of words between Democrats who supported the measure, and Republicans who said no thanks.

GAS TAX SPURS RECALL CAMPAIGN

The increase has triggered a recall campaign.

By definition, conventional wisdom is convention. It often has the added value of being right.

I read a commentary by Joe Matthews recently that argued California’s Top Two primary works against centrists and actually increases the advantage of t­he more ideological candidates of the left and right.